


The Little Things

by Llama1412



Category: Doctor Who (2005), Torchwood
Genre: Episode: s03e13 Last of the Time Lords, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-22
Updated: 2011-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:20:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23501467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Llama1412/pseuds/Llama1412
Summary: Snapshots of the aftermath of The Last of the Time Lords from Torchwood's point of view.
Relationships: Tenth Doctor/Jack Harkness
Kudos: 8





	The Little Things

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to livejournal and whofic.com in 2011. Posted unedited.

Jack had left them. Gwen could kid herself that he had been taken, but the evidence was staring them in the face. Not four days ago, they had mutinied against their captain and shot him dead. Against his explicit orders, they'd opened the rift and nearly destroyed the world, Jack's sacrifice the only thing that saved them. And now he was gone. Bags packed, valuables taken, all traces of the Great Captain Harkness suddenly gone.

\--

They went to the Himalayas looking for him. They couldn't help themselves. They were betrayed, but it was still Jack. They had to look for him, had to help him.

It was the middle of a snowstorm when they caught the tail end of a hand-held television report.

_"...known only as "The Captain". These three, public enemies 1, 2, and 3, are believed to be armed and dangerous. Should you see anything, please report it immediately."_

\--

The entire world had their attention trained on the Valiant. It was the first ever televised alien encounter, and no one wanted to miss it.

As such, no one missed the sight of Jack Harkness appearing on screen and subsequently getting killed by the prime minister.

\--

Jack's dramatic return was met with cold indifference. It wasn't that they weren't pleased to see him, but they couldn't get over the sting of his departure and the way he seemed to think nothing was wrong.

\--

"I came back for you! All of you!" They could see the sincerity there in his eyes, but there was something else hidden behind it. He may truly believe that he came back for them, but they could see that it went beyond that. He needed them now, but one day, they would lose him to that Doctor of his.

\--

Tap-tap-tap-tap. Tap-tap-tap-tap.

The noise echoed around the silent room. It grated on their nerves, but no one could be bothered to stop the pen's rhythm. They sat there, waiting, always waiting. It was incredible how much of their time was spent waiting for a test result, a killer, an instruction.

Finally, Jack swept into the room, oblivious to his colleagues' disgruntled glares. Ianto followed shortly, dutifully placing a coffee in front of each of them. The tapping continued as Jack briefed them on the situation.

Tap-tap-tap-tap. Tap-tap-tap-tap.

"Jack?"

He'd cut off abruptly, muscles tensed. "Stop that."

Tap-tap-tap-tap. Tap-tap-tap-tap.

"Sorry, whut?" They were all looking at him with bemused expressions.

Tap-tap-tap-tap.

"Owen!" He slammed his hand down on top of Owen's and that infernal pen. "Stop."

"Jeez, tetchy much? It's just a rhythm, Jack."

Jack's face was severe. "It's much more than that, Owen. A rhythm has power. Don't encourage that."

He gave them their orders tersely and marched out of the room, leaving his four bewildered teammates in silence.

\--

With Jack's return to the team, they'd expected things to go back to normal. Sure, there had been a bit of a rough transition, but after that, things should've gone back to the way they were.

It was surprising when, instead of spending all free time in the hub as before, Jack began taking regular trips to London. Visiting family, he told them. He'd never visited family before.

And he'd certainly never brought a group of people, clearly not family, back to the hub.

"Jack, this is ridiculous! You can't just have people running around the hub. _Your_ own rules."

He shrugged, "rules have exceptions," and he led them through to his office.

\--

They'd finally settled in, comfortable with their dynamic around each other again. It was good again, _them_ again.

Until they were playing basketball in the main room and a strange grinding noise reverberated around the hub. Jack dropped the ball, missing the winning shot.

They watched in astonishment as a blue box materialized in front of them and a tall, lean man stepped out. "Jack." The name was enunciated clearly and there was weariness and strain on the other man's face.

They watched, frozen in shock, as Jack strode forward and left them again without a second glance.

\--

He came back, said he had a responsibility here on Earth. They couldn't even pretend to take that well. They were glad to have him back, yeah, but he'd just up and left them. Again. And that was the sort of betrayal they couldn't forgive.

Jack respected that. He didn't try to get back in their good graces, not exactly. He re-won their trust as much as he needed to properly lead the team. But he respected that he'd hurt them and new boundaries had been drawn. They weren't a cohesive body of friends anymore. They respected each other and they worked together, but they no longer trusted each other personally. Torchwood was broken.

\--

Gwen got married. Jack wasn't invited, wasn't even told about it. He still granted her time off and sent them a wedding present of a honeymoon to anywhere they wanted. Apparently, he had the money to spare.

There was no mention of it when they went back to work. But then, there was no word of anything personal anymore. None of them associated with Jack outside of Torchwood.

As far as they were concerned, Jack was a man who didn't exist with a life that he'd made none of their business. He was their boss, nothing more.

\--

"I don't get it, Jack." Martha Jones, UNIT doctor, stood in front of a lounging Jack. "You said this was the best team you'd ever had, that you have a responsibility to stand by them."

"That's right."

"So why do they seem so distant? I mean…no offense, but they don't really seem like they care about you."

"Because I've given them every reason not to."

" _Why?_ "

"Because I spent a year under the Master's tender care. And nothing broke me until he had those four marched in and slaughtered." Jack sighed and ran a hand down his face. "I can't afford that sort of weakness, Martha. I lost them once and I almost failed the Doctor when we fought the Master. What happens when I lost them next time?"

"Shouldn't that mean you savor them while they're here?"

Jack smiled bitterly. "They're wonderful people, know how to take care of themselves. But they've got no clue what's out there. Even you've only got a hint and you've traveled the stars. I'm going to lose them someday and chances are, it's going to be in the middle of something big. I need to be able to function, even when they're gone."

"So you're pushing them away?"

Jack shrugged. "I'd already hurt them enough to make it easy for them to be through with me. It's better now, anyway. Less pain for them in the long run. People associated with me…they don't lead easy lives. I've made too many enemies and a lot of them have got time travel on their sides. Even without, humans can do a lot of damage. Enough people have died for me. I should've made it a point to keep my distance before."

"Jack, you can't live like that. You can't isolate yourself."

"Maybe not. Maybe something better will come along. Maybe someday, you'll all be able to handle the rift on your own. Maybe when you get to space travel and expansion, you won't need Torchwood anymore. Maybe then I'll go with the Doctor or travel on my own. I don't know. But until then, Torchwood is needed, so I'll just have to deal with it."

Martha gave him a sad look. "I don't know how you and the Doctor do it, Jack. You don't open up to anyone. You two…you're the loneliest people I've ever met."

Jack shrugged. "That's life."


End file.
